Battery flat after 2 days of cold weather & car will not ?

[chrisw2811]

Hi Roger, if the airbox has a lot of petrol in it there may be a fuel leak, possibly a sticking float valve in one of the carburettors.

[rmlotusexcelsa]

Hi Roger, if the airbox has a lot of petrol in it there may be a fuel leak, possibly a sticking float valve in one of the carburettors.

Hi Chris,
Thanks for getting back.
Can that be fixed by adustment or will it need new carbs?
Cheers Roger.

[Lotus-e-Clan]

Ah! A carb problem identified...or is it?

Roger before you spend money on the carbs...

You've said you haven't much experience with DHLAs so I wonder if you realise what happens at carb level if you stroke the pedal a lot when starting?

I'm wondering if you have flooded it yourself using too much pedal when the volts were low rather than the carbs needing attention? The DHLA accelerator pump jets deliver a lot of petrol as a norm so you could flood the engine and air box just by pumping and it failing to start.

Now you have fixed the starter problem it's best to review the underlying condition of ignition system if it's still a poor starter before you touch the carbs or you may just chase your tail

[Ozzy_UK]

i have this exact same issue...

taken all the bulbs out of doors/boot and in the end just fitted a battery cut off switch which i just turn off when i park up...
thats not really a solution i admit but it works.

Oz.

Hi OZ,
Many thanks for that.
Still will not start or even turn over now?
Cheers Roger

mines clearly electrical, if you put a voltmeter over the battery without even a key in the ignition you can still watch the voltage slowly drop over an hour...

[Luke]

disconnect the battery put a multimeter inline (switched to amps) with the +lead and the +terminal and with the keys out see what the reading is, ideally it should be 0 but radios clocks etc have drains on so there will be a drain

eg. if its a 100amp/hour battery then a 1 amp drain will drain the battery in 100 hours

if you have a drain you can unplug relays and fuses and watch the reading drop and locate where it is

hth

[Lotus-e-Clan]

Good advice Luke.

I've never used the AMP function on either of my multimeters (analogue and digital) 'cos of fear of cocking something up.

I'll do this test to nail the drain explicitly to the Cobra alarm....and then I have good reason to chuck it cos no one takes any notice of them anyway!

[rmlotusexcelsa]

Hi All,
Thanks for the advise ,checked the boot light was draining so i have disconected the wires.
The carbs ,when i start the car cold with choke fires & stolls.So i push the pedal 2 times and she starts.
When she is running you can smell the petrol & exhaust fumes are rich when warm & hot.
I run her at idle with the air box open & fuel was spraying out? Is that OK?
Could it be a fuel pump or purge pump issue or sticking valve?
Cheers Roger

[rmlotusexcelsa]

Hi Roger, if the airbox has a lot of petrol in it there may be a fuel leak, possibly a sticking float valve in one of the carburettors.

Hi ,I ran her on idle tick over & fuel was spraying out of the open air box today.
I am taking her tomorrow to a specialist tuning & carurettors garage my local Classic Car Club recommended to use in Hull.
I will post the result of what is the problem.
Kind regards
Roger

[rmlotusexcelsa]

i have this exact same issue...

taken all the bulbs out of doors/boot and in the end just fitted a battery cut off switch which i just turn off when i park up...
thats not really a solution i admit but it works.

Oz.

Hi OZ,
Many thanks for that.
Still will not start or even turn over now?
Cheers Roger

mines clearly electrical, if you put a voltmeter over the battery without even a key in the ignition you can still watch the voltage slowly drop over an hour...

Hi Ozz, Do you do track days at Brands Hatch? Cheers Roger

[rmlotusexcelsa]

Hi All,
Just got back from the specialist tuning garage in Hull.
Electrics are OK,
Rest of engine OK in good condition.
But the carbs No.1 carb is letting to much fuel into the airbox this causing flooding on starting,ordered a P service kit (Lotus) DHLA 45D & D45 power jet carbs dellorto service kit gaskets & jets & diophragms.
Parts will be here in a couple of days & he is going to set my carbs up.
Kind regards Roger

[Ozzy_UK]

Hi Ozz, Do you do track days at Brands Hatch? Cheers Roger

I do 2-3 a year there...